Even promoter Eddie Hearn admitted that his man Anthony Joshua could not have boxed any worse during Saturday night’s devastating defeat by Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
When a record boxing crowd of more than 96,000 fans assembled most were expecting Joshua to join the likes of Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis as a three-time world heavyweight champion.
READ MORE: Latest heavyweight rankings AFTER Joshua vs Dubois
But instead the 34-year-old was blasted to a knockout defeat inside five one-sided rounds as Dubois (22-2) retained the IBF title he acquired when it was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year.
Joshua (28-4) appeared to open right from the start, as Dubois used his superb left jab to set up right-hand bombs. Punches which were landing hard and often from Round 1. AJ was decked for the first time at the end of that session and in truth he never really recovered.
The next three-and-a-bit rounds were more of the same, with Joshua down again in Round 3, in Round 4 and then finally early in the fifth as a stunning Dubois counter closed the show.
Lennox Lewis on Joshua defeat
Afterwards Lewis was asked by TNT Sports Box Office about Joshua’s tactics, and he explained the fatal error which he believes brought about AJ’s downfall.
He explained: “AJ did come out even with his chin up a little bit. I was like ‘ah, he needs to put that chin down’ because against a right-handed boxer who has been throwing right hands and knocking out people all the time, you’re opening the door for them by keeping your chin up.”
READ MORE: Carl Froch delivers BRUTAL Anthony Joshua post-fight verdict
Lewis believes that tactical flaw was all Dubois needed to unload the explosive bombs which ended Joshua’s dream of becoming a three-time heavyweight king.
“I know Daniel Dubois was looking at him saying ‘okay there’s that chin for me, let me throw that right hand.”
